General Assembly Session 55 meeting 94

The President

I should like to inform members that Congo has made the necessary payment to reduce its arrears below the amount specified in Article 19 of the Charter.

May I take it that the General Assembly duly takes note of this information?

The President

This information will be reflected in an addendum to document A/55/745.

The President

I call on the representative of Germany to introduce draft resolution A/55/L.79.

Mr. Kastrup (Germany)

Thank you very much, Mr. President, for following your usual procedure of starting on time.

When I introduced the traditional annual draft resolution on the situation in Afghanistan only two and a half months ago, I certainly did not expect to introduce another draft resolution on Afghanistan so soon. However, recent developments in Afghanistan make this initiative necessary. It was with disbelief and shock that we learned about the Taliban edict of 26 February 2001, ordering the destruction of all statues and non-Islamic shrines in Afghanistan. I was even more outraged when Taliban authorities announced that despite all international appeals and initiatives, the destruction of monuments and artefacts, particularly of the unique Buddhist sculptures in Bamiyan, had already begun.

The time we had to finalize this draft was extremely short. Nevertheless, 80 countries have signed the document and others have asked to co-sponsor the draft resolution. The following countries, not mentioned in the draft resolution before the Assembly, have also co-sponsored this draft resolution: Argentina, Slovenia, South Africa, Suriname and Thailand. I would like to thank all for their valuable contributions and considerable efforts that have helped shape the text presented today. I would also like to express my gratitude to all countries for the strong support we received during the last few days.

The systematic destruction of Buddhist statues and other elements of cultural heritage by the Taliban is unacceptable. We strongly condemn these acts of destruction as irresponsible acts of religious intolerance which will further isolate the Taliban. In view of the ongoing famine and the increasing misery of the people in Afghanistan, we appeal to the Taliban not to ignore the will of the international community and not to reject the unanimous vote of Member States of the United Nations.

One of the Buddhist statues in Bamiyan is the size of the Statue of Liberty in New York. The statues have survived 1,500 years of history. Successive Islamic Afghan Governments have preserved these masterpieces for 14 centuries. One thousand five hundred years ago, the Bamiyan valley, where the Buddhas stand today, was an important point on the trade route between China and India, in a part of Asia where languages and religions -- Buddhism, Hinduism and, later, Islam -- coexisted. It was also home to a great and famous Buddhist monastic centre. In recent days I have learned that the destruction of these Buddhas would also be a catastrophe for scholars of Asian art. Apart from Bamiyan's rarity as one of the few places having examples of monumental Buddhist sculpture, it also holds a key to countless questions about how Buddhism developed internally and how it influenced other cultures in Asia.

Islam is not only one of the word's most important religions, it is also one of the most sophisticated civilizations. The Islamic heritage brought the world irreplaceable works of art, science and philosophy. It is the centuries-old spirit of wisdom and tolerance of Islam and the Muslim world which deserves our respect and admiration. The destruction of the statues in Bamiyan is the opposite of this spirit. It is barbarism; barbarism that not only destroys the cultural heritage of humanity, but also does harm to Islam and to the Islamic world. It bears the danger that this religion, known for its values of tolerance and respect for all civilizations, could be perceived erroneously in some parts of the world and not as it is in reality.

Germany fully supports all efforts and initiatives taken by States, international organizations or private institutions, in particular the efforts made by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to safeguard the sculptures in Afghanistan. In the draft resolution that will be adopted today we offer the help of the international community to safeguard the sculptures, including, if necessary, their temporary relocation or removal from public view. My country has already declared its general readiness to assist in such an international endeavour.

The adoption of this draft resolution is of vital importance. It shows the Taliban leadership the unity of the international community in condemning unanimously the destruction. We still have some hope that the demolition of the Buddhas and other relics and artefacts in Afghanistan has not yet been completed. We therefore strongly urge the Taliban to rescind their edict, to stop its implementation and to take immediate actions to prevent the further destruction of Afghanistan's cultural heritage. I hope that we are not too late with our appeal.

In concluding, I would like to mention that Germany fully subscribes to the statement of the European Union that is going to be presented by the Swedish Ambassador.

Mr. Schori (Sweden)

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union -- Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia -- and the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, as well as the European Free Trade Association countries members of the European Economic Area -- Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway -- align themselves with this statement.

First of all, I should like to thank the President for convening this important meeting at such short notice.

It was with dismay and shock that the European Union (EU) received last week information about the edict of the Taliban leader Mullah Omar, in which the destruction of all statues and shrines in Afghanistan was ordered. Furthermore, the EU was appalled to learn last Sunday from Taliban authorities that the destruction of artefacts had indeed already begun.

The artefacts in Afghanistan are of priceless historic value. Afghanistan's rich cultural heritage is of vital importance not only to Afghanistan, but to the world as a whole. The EU strongly urges the Taliban leadership to take immediate action to prevent further destruction of the irreplaceable relics, which will deprive the people of Afghanistan and the international community of this rich cultural heritage.

The EU strongly condemns this deeply tragic decision by the Taliban. It urges the Taliban to revoke this decision and to show the spirit of tolerance enjoined by Islam as well as respect for international sentiment in this regard.

The EU welcomes and fully supports the draft resolution now before us, which we are confident will be adopted by consensus.

Mr. Bazel (Afghanistan)

Over the years, we have heard of Taliban barbarism against living beings, such as acts of summary execution; ethnic cleansing; gender apartheid; the forced deportation of hundreds of thousands of innocent people; the separation of women from their menfolk; the torching and levelling of houses; and the destruction of irrigation systems, canals, orchards and means of subsistence, systematically carried out by the Pakistan-Taliban-bin Laden triangle in the occupied parts of Afghanistan.

Yet, events during the past two weeks in those occupied parts reveal a new dimension to the dark and ominous undertakings of the Pakistan-Taliban-bin Laden triangle: namely, cultural genocide. The triangle began its campaign of cultural genocide through the burning of thousands of ancient Persian manuscripts, an act that was condemned by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the destruction of paintings by the renowned and respected miniaturist Professor Mashal in Herat; as well as the banning of the Persian New Year's first day of Naoroz, celebrated in Afghanistan for thousands of years. Likewise, pursuant to its hatred of the rich culture of the Persian-speaking Afghans, the triangle banned the use of the Persian language, which has been the lingua franca of Afghanistan for centuries, as the working language in areas under occupation.

Additionally, the triangle has embarked on a policy of social engineering with the aim of changing the demographic composition of various provinces of Afghanistan through the relocation and dislocation of the native inhabitants of central and northern parts of Afghanistan in order to disturb the harmonious fraternal coexistence of Afghan ethnic groups, which has endured for hundreds of years. This represents an arbitrary plan by the triangle to engulf Afghanistan in the flames of ethnic hatred and ethnic cleansing.

In line with the policy of cultural genocide, Mullah Omar, Pakistan's puppet and the Taliban's chieftain, issued a decree on 26 February 2001 ordering the demolition of pre-Islamic relics in Afghanistan. This constitutes barbarism against non-living beings, while the Taliban has already mastered barbarism against living beings. This infamous decree -- lunatic, ludicrous and amply reflective of a pre-planned, diabolical scheme by the ruling Pakistani junta, the main force behind the Talibanization of the region -- is aimed at the annihilation of the historical and cultural identity of Afghanistan.

Joining the international community's outcry, the Islamic State of Afghanistan strongly condemned the issuance of this despicable decree and the subsequent destruction of statues, which is definitely anti-Islamic, anti-cultural and anti-Afghan.

We are firmly convinced that the main responsibility for any damage to or plundering of Afghan cultural property caused by the so-called decree lies with the military junta of Pakistan. Pakistan's direct involvement in the actual fighting in Afghanistan is a fact now well known to the international community. It is also a well-established fact that Pakistan is the main source of indoctrination of religious extremism in our part of the world. Pakistan has been using extremist religious groups for its expansionist and hegemonic purposes in the region.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his report of November 2000 on the situation in Afghanistan, indicated that there is a significant number of non-Afghans, essentially from Pakistan, alongside the Taliban. Not only are Pakistanis involved in the fighting alongside the Taliban, but, in fact, Pakistan's high-ranking officers are engaged in the planning and logistical support of Taliban military operations on the battlefields of Afghanistan. The Pakistani military junta is directly accountable for actions and crimes committed in the occupied parts of Afghanistan.

The 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which prohibits any requisitioning, theft, pillage, vandalism, misappropriation or reprisal directed against cultural property, must be respected by the Pakistani military junta. Likewise, the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 consider as a grave breach -- that is, as a crime -- any acts of hostility directed against historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of people.

The Islamic State of Afghanistan, gravely concerned about the fate of two ancient Buddha statues in Bamiyan, had already contacted UNESCO and requested, in letters dated 22 April 1997 and 12 November 1999, the recognition of the Bamiyan statues as part of the world cultural patrimony. Such recognition by UNESCO of a historical monument could have provided special protection. We were dismayed when we did not receive any response. It is questionable to what extent the acceptance of such a request would have provided the required protection for the statues against the evil intentions of vandalism emanating from the dark-minded obscurantism of the Taliban.

These pre-Islamic statues have been preserved as a national patrimony by successive Islamic Governments in Afghanistan for 14 centuries. The destruction of the Bamyan statues is a crime not only against history, art and humanity, but also against peace and stability in the world. Indeed, if communal and sectarian violence in different parts of the world follow this shameful act by the Pakistani-Taliban alliance, this will constitute a threat to international peace and security.

The Islamic State of Afghanistan and the Afghan nation attach great importance to the cultural property of Afghanistan, which they consider as being of fundamental cultural value to them. We would like to avail ourselves of this occasion to launch an appeal to UNESCO to help us prepare an inventory of all objets d'art, monuments, pieces, archives, manuscripts, documents and any other cultural or artistic treasures. The establishment of a committee for the return of the cultural property of Afghanistan or the restitution of such property in case of criminal appropriation could play an important part in endeavours to preserve, or to ensure the restitution of, Afghanistan cultural property.

Most of the looting and theft that occurred at the Kabul Museum happened after April 1992, when the site of the museum was occupied by the Pakistani-Hekmatyar alliance. Nasirullah Baber, the former Minister of the Interior of Pakistan -- considered by many Pakistani media as the father of the Taliban -- and Mr. Zardari, the husband of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, among many others, have been involved in the theft and smuggling of Afghan artefacts.

In conclusion, we would like to emphasize the following.

First, the Charter of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) in its preamble stipulates:

"Resolved to preserve Islamic spiritual, ethical, social and economic values".

On the basis of this disposition, the OIC should break its silence and clearly spell out its position regarding the words and deeds of the Taliban, practised under the holy name of Islam.

Secondly, the countries which have recognized the Taliban as the legitimate, bona fide government of Afghanistan have not only legitimized the occupation of parts of Afghanistan by an international network of terrorists, but have also acquiesced to the Taliban's religious interpretations. It is time that these countries withdrew their recognition from the so-called emirate of the Taliban, which represents not only an aberration from Afghan moderation and civility, but also an affront to the Afghan character. In addition, in light of its ignorant views and obscurantism, that group has distorted the image of Islam.

Thirdly, the international community and the United Nations should bring strong pressure to bear on Pakistan, as the ideological centre of Taliban internationalism, to put an end to its aggressive and hegemonic designs in the region; to withdraw its military personnel from Afghanistan; and to close down Taliban production factories, or so-called madrassas -- religious schools -- in which bigotry, hatred for humanity and religious intolerance are inculcated.

Mr. Satoh (Japan)

On behalf of the Government of Japan, I would like to add my voice to the appeals made by the international community for the preservation of the historical statues and monuments of Afghanistan. In this context, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Germany for the initiative it has taken to prepare the draft resolution before us.

Japan deplores the destruction of the historical statues and monuments of Afghanistan, as called for in the edict issued by the Taliban. They are truly the common heritage of all humankind.

We are further saddened to learn that the destruction has begun, in defiance of the broad appeals voiced by the international community, including the Secretary-General, the Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference.

Recently we have been encouraged by the positive steps the Taliban has taken in response to appeals from the international community in sharply curtailing the cultivation of opium poppies and in providing women with at least some access to education and health care. We are therefore all the more disappointed over the destruction of these priceless objects.

It is indeed ironic that this edict was issued during this United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations, during which the international community is to reconfirm the spirit of tolerance and respect for cultural and religious differences. This notion of tolerance and respect is embraced by all the major religions of the world, including Islam. I therefore would like to call on the Taliban to stop the destruction and show tolerance for these historical statues and monuments. Peoples in all parts of the world are waiting for a sign that the Taliban is ready to do so.

It is important for the General Assembly to adopt this urgently needed draft resolution by consensus, before the Secretary-General leaves for the region today. In addition, I would like to ask you, Mr. President, to convey this draft resolution, together with the record of today's meeting, directly to the Taliban authorities through whatever means are available to you.

Before concluding my statement, I would like briefly to touch on the issue of humanitarian aid to people suffering in and outside of Afghanistan. As vividly documented recently by the newly appointed Under-Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs, the combined effects of war and natural disasters have caused the Afghan people unspeakable suffering. I wish to stress the need for the international community to address this situation immediately.

Mr. De Saram (Sri Lanka)

I have the honour, on behalf of Sri Lanka, to convey appreciation and gratitude to the delegation of Germany for all that Ambassador Kastrup and his colleagues at the Permanent Mission of Germany have done to ensure that the General Assembly urgently considers today the subject of the preservation of the statues of the Buddha on the cliffs of Bamiyan. For his very thoughtful introduction of the draft resolution before us, I thank Ambassador Kastrup. It is a draft resolution of which Sri Lanka is honoured to be a sponsor.

There is today an extraordinary uniqueness in our gathering in the General Assembly. It is to the General Assembly -- in its universality of membership, concerns and responsibilities -- that the world comes with its great troubles, its sorrows, its anxieties and its hopes; and it is the General Assembly that -- through its discussions, exchanges of views and formal resolutions -- provides solace, if not always solutions, to millions around the world.

The statues of Bamiyan are of the Buddha, but it is Germany, not a predominantly Buddhist country, that has brought to the General Assembly its proposed draft resolution on the preservation of the statues of the Buddha. The sponsors of the draft resolution include numerous delegations of countries where the other great religions of humanity are principally followed.

Those who now stand in Bamiyan before the statues of the Buddha are of ancient tribes -- ancient tribes that have impressed millions over the centuries with their courage in battles with the hordes that came through their valleys not in peace but in war. Yet we are told that these present-day warriors wish to destroy the statutes of the Buddha, though it was the Buddha who taught us that the greatest warrior of all is he who conquers himself.

The words of the Buddha moved the warrior emperor Asoka, three centuries before the Christian era, to turn from the violence of war to the non-violence of peace. And it was the same emperor Asoka who then sent his son Mahinda and his daughter Sanghamitta to Sri Lanka with the teachings of the Buddha. The daughter, Sanghamitta, brought with her to Sri Lanka, when she came, a sapling of the sacred Bo tree under which the Buddha, centuries earlier, had sat in thought and in meditation on the unhappiness and sufferings of humanity and on how from such unhappiness and sufferings there may, through enlightenment, be release. The sapling, now the sacred Bo tree in the world heritage city of Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka, still stands and is loved in reverence by all the people of Sri Lanka, be they Buddhists or followers of the other great religions of our land -- Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.

We in this Hall today can only hope and pray that the statues in Bamiyan are not, and will not be, destroyed in a cruel, massive, wanton destruction of shocking magnitude. Yet we can make sure that within the United Nations, at its Headquarters here, every endeavour is made to consider in what ways all statues, monuments, objects and places of religion or spirituality that form such a valuable component of the civilization of humanity can be preserved and treasured by humanity always. I would like to conclude by saying that the delegation of Sri Lanka hopes, in preparing for the next regular session of the General Assembly, to consult with other delegations on how best we might in that connection proceed.

The draft resolution in the document before us has, of course, Sri Lanka's wholehearted support. Finally, I assure the Assembly that the President, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka are continuing to do all that they possibly can with a view to the preservation of the statues in Afghanistan.

Mr. Dorji (Bhutan)

The people and the Government of Bhutan are deeply distressed at the deliberate destruction by the Taliban of the centuries-old statues of the Buddha in the Bamiyan province of Afghanistan. We consider the unique Buddha statues of Bamiyan to be not only a priceless heritage of the Afghan people but also a common heritage of humankind. We strongly condemn the destruction of the Buddha statues and other relics and monuments by the Taliban and reiterate our call to the Taliban to revoke their edict of 26 February 2001 and to put an end to such wanton destruction.

Buddhism is an integral part of my country's heritage. We live by the Buddhist principles of peace, tolerance and compassion. We place the highest priority on the preservation of our rich Buddhist culture and tradition. At the same time, we respect other beliefs, religions and ways of life. This is an essential tenet if we are to live as civilized beings in harmony and peace with other nations. We are therefore deeply appalled by the Taliban's edict ordering the destruction of the Buddha statues and by the ongoing acts of such destruction. It has deeply hurt the sentiments of our people.

There cannot be any rational explanation for this irresponsible act. The New York Times of 3 March carried a story about appeals made to the Taliban by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and by other countries and dignitaries. In the article, Holland Cotter quotes from the Koran:

"I do not serve what you worship; nor do you serve what I worship. You have your own religion, and I have mine."

As he pointed out,

"This terse statement of live-and-let-live religious tolerance is from the Koran."

Hence, the Taliban acts appear to be totally un-Islamic and cannot be supported by anyone.

With regard to the General Assembly's consideration this morning of draft resolution A/55/L.79, my delegation would like to thank the delegation of Germany for taking the initiative to prepare the draft resolution. We are happy to co-sponsor it, and we call for its adoption by consensus. In this regard, we would also like to place on record our appreciation to the Secretary-General for his efforts.

Appeals to the Taliban have been made from all quarters. However, the Taliban seem to have thrown all reason and sense of justice, tolerance and respect for others to the wind, and appear to be bent upon carrying out their senseless destructive acts to the end. With the collective appeal of the international community as expressed in this draft resolution, we hope the Taliban will choose to listen to reason and sanity and respect the call for an end to the destruction of the priceless statues of Bamiyan and other relics and monuments.

Mr. Sharma (India)

A problem occurred in a Python script. Here is the sequence of function calls leading up to the error, in the order they occurred.

<type 'exceptions.UnicodeEncodeError'>: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\xe9' in position 4307: ordinal not in range(128)
      args = ('ascii', u'\n\t<p id="pg006-bk02-pa01">We are grateful to you...mediate cessation of this act of destruction.</p>', 4307, 4308, 'ordinal not in range(128)')
      encoding = 'ascii'
      end = 4308
      message = ''
      object = u'\n\t<p id="pg006-bk02-pa01">We are grateful to you...mediate cessation of this act of destruction.</p>'
      reason = 'ordinal not in range(128)'
      start = 4307